Bilawal vows greater autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan

SKARDU: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday pledged greater autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan, saying his party wanted to transfer powers from the federal Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan to the region's elected assembly. Addressing an election rally in Shigar ahead of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly polls, Bilawal said that the PPP sought to empower local institutions and ensure that governance decisions were made within the region rather than in Islamabad. He said that further constitutional reforms, including what he described as a "28th Amendment", would help secure additional rights for the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. Bilawal also pledged to protect the mineral resources of Shigar and said that the PPP was committed to ensuring that local communities benefited from the area's natural wealth. Referring to regional developments, he said that Pakistan's military leadership had played a key role during the recent Iran-US crisis. The PPP chairman alleged that his party had been deprived of nine seats in the previous Gilgit-Baltistan elections and criticised rival political parties, saying they preferred decision-making powers to remain concentrated in Islamabad. He said that the PPP favoured devolving power to the local level and highlighted what he described as the party's historical contributions to the region. Bilawal urged voters to support PPP candidate Imran Nadeem Shigri in the upcoming election, expressing confidence that the party would secure victory in the constituency. Gilgit-Baltistan is due to hold assembly elections on June 9, with major political parties campaigning across the mountainous region. The post Bilawal vows greater autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan appeared first on HUM News English.